Vocabulary notes

1. knob [nob] – кнопка

2. to give an estimate [`estimeit] – дать оценку

Leisure Time

Mrs. Madigan Goes to the Theatre

Mrs. Madigan is asking the hotel desk-clerk for information about theatres in St. Francis:

Desk Clerk: Good morning, Mrs. Madigan.

Mrs. Madigan: Good morning. I think I’d like to go to the theatre tonight. Is there a

theatre in the city?

Desk Clerk: Would you like a guide?

Mrs. Madigan: No, no. I’ll go by taxi.

Desk Clerk: No, madam. A theatre guide. A list of all the theatres in St. Francis,

with full details of the plays and booking facilities.

Mrs. Madigan: How many theatres are there?

Desk Clerk: Three.

Mrs. Madigan: Hmm. What’s on at the National Theatre? I’ve heard it is the best

one.

Desk Clerk: National Theatre. The “Siege of St. Francis”. It’s a history play,

Mrs. Madigan.

Mrs. Madigan: I’ll go there. I’ll go and get a ticket.

(Later. At the National Theatre box office.)

Mrs. Madigan: One ticket for tonight, please. In the stalls.

Clerk: Which performance?

Mrs. Madigan: Which performance? Tonight!

Clerk: There are two performances nightly. One at six o’clock, the second

at nine o’clock.

Mrs. Madigan: Oh, the nine o’clock. Six o’clock is much too early.

Clerk: Yes, madam.

Mrs. Madigan: One stall for the second performance this evening. But not too far

back. My eyes are becoming rather weak.

Clerk: Yes, madam. Seat A3.

Mrs. Madigan: Is there a good view of the stage from that seat?

Clerk: It’s in the front row, madam.

Mrs. Madigan: Oh, is it? Good.

Clerk: Five crowns please.

Vocabulary notes

1. theatre guide – путеводитель по театрам

2. stalls – партер

Особенности употребления формул вежливости

1. Приветствие / Прощание

Form of address	Answer	Style	Function
How do you do?	the same repeated	Formal	greeting after introduction
How are you?	Fine, thank you. And you?	Neutral	inquiry after somebody’s health
How’re things?	Fine, thanks. What about you?	Informal	greeting
Good day!	(All the best!)	Formal	parting (cold dismissal)

How do you do? употребляется только во время официального знакомства, соответствует рус. здравствуйте и требует повторения в ответной реплике. При помощи нейтральных фраз, выбираемых в зависимости от времени суток, приветствуют малознакомых людей или прощаются с ними. Добрый день возможно как приветствие только в американском варианте; для британцев – это способ вежливо-холодно указать человеку на дверь, давая понять, что разговор окончен.

2. Please, thank you, of course

structure	form of address	answer	function
Please / Thank you / Here you are	Would you like some more tea?	Thank you. / (Yes,) please.	Accepting
	Have you got enough sugar?	Yes, thank you.	Confirming
	Have you got a cup I could use?	Yes, here you are.	Handing over things
	Thank you.	(no answer)	Reply to thanks
Of course	Have you ever tasted cold tea?	Why, yes, of course / sure	Reply to something obvious

Когда вам говорят спасибо, можно ответить при помощи фраз Not at all; You’re welcome; That’s alright, которые соответствуют рус. пожалуйста (так как please в таких случаях не употребляется).

3. Sorry, excuse me

structure	form of address	answer	function
Sorry / Excuse me	Do you mind! That’s my plate!	I am sorry. I didn’t realize…	Apologizing
	Excuse me, could I have some jam?	Here you are. Help yourself.	Attracting attention
	Sorry, did I take your spoon?	Oh, never mind, it’s alright.	Apologizing
Sorry / Please	Can I borrow your dictionary?	No, please don’t. / I’m sorry, but…	Refusing
	May I use your telephone?	Oh, well, alright. / Please do.	Granting permission

Excuse me говорится прежде, чем вы кого-то побеспокоили (в том числе, с целью привлечь внимание), а sorry (I beg your pardon) – в качестве извинения после причиненного беспокойства (а также, когда надо переспросить).

4. Приказ, вежливая просьба, предложение

Orders, instructions, invitations	Requests, suggestions, advice	Offering, asking permission
A roll and a cup of tea, please.	Could you give me some tea?	Can I give you / have some tea?
Please, come in.	Would / do you mind coming in?	Do / would you mind if I come in?
Please (don’t) take your coat off.	Will you take your coat off?	Shall I help you with your coat?
Wait a moment, please.	Could you wait a moment?	Would you like me to wait?

TESTS

1. Journalist: “______”

Head of a firm: “As a manager of the environmental business unit, he is

responsible for a team of eight”.

1) Which is his team?

2) Is he in environmental business?

3) How many are there in his team?

4) Is he responsible for the environmental business unit?

2. Student: “________”

Tutor: “Yes, it was quite good”.

1) Did you mark my essay?

2) Have you had time to mark my essay?

3) I hope you have already marked my essay?

4) What about my essay?

3. Receptionist: “Can I help you?”

Guest: “__________”

1) Can you book a table for me in the restaurant this evening?

2) You must book a table for me.

3) Would you mind reserving a table in the restaurant for me if you’ve

got a moment?

4) I need a table in the restaurant this evening.

4. Friend: “_________”

You: “Fine”.

1) I wonder if I could make a phone call?

2) Sorry. I need to make a phone call.

3) Would you excuse me, please? I’d like to make a phone call.

4) What is your telephone call?

5. Waiter: “Would you like some more coffee?”

Customer: “________”

1) I like coffee very much.

2) Coffee is a tasty drink.

3) No, it is not necessary.

4) No, thank you. I’ve had enough.

6. Waiter: “Would you like something to drink?”

Customer: “_________”

1) Give me a cup of coffee.

2) I need a cup of coffee.

3) Would you bring me a cup of coffee, please?

4) I like coffee very much.

7. Secretary: “Good morning. Can I help you?”

Applicant: “__________”

1) Good morning. May I speak to Mr. Jones?

2) I need to speak to Mr. Jones.

3) Can you tell Mr. Jones that I’m already here?

4) Good morning. My name is David Brown. May I speak to Mr. Jones?

8. Applicant: “I’m interested in secretarial job”.

Top manager: “_________”

1) Now I don’t need any secretaries.

2) Unfortunately, now our organization does not need secretaries.

3) Have you got only secretarial diploma?

4) We have a lot of secretaries, more than it’s necessary.

9. Customer: “Yesterday I bought here a hand-bag, it’s got a flaw!”

Seller: “__________”

1) I can’t see anything.

2) Sorry, madam, can I look at it?

3) We have only high-quality goods.

4) I think the manager should look at it.

10. Traveller: “___________”

A young man: “The first train to Moscow leaves at 6 a.m.”

1) Could you tell me, please, the time of the first train to Moscow?

2) When does the first train to Moscow leave?

3) Hello, tell me the time the first train to Moscow leaves.

4) How can I know when the first train to Moscow leaves?

11. Your friend: “__________”

Professor Brown: “How do you do, Pete?”

1) Professor Brown, let me introduce my friend Pete to you.

2) This is my best friend Pete.

3) Hello, Professor Brown. That’s my friend Pete.

4) Pete, this is Professor Brown.

12. You: “I have a sore throat”.

Doctor: “________”

1) Well, you must have eaten a lot of ice-cream, yeah?

2) At this time of the year everybody catches a cold.

3) Open your mouth, please.

4) Let me feel your pulse, please.

13. Mr. Green: “__________”

Applicant: “Yes, I worked as a secretary in the company Greenwich”.

1) Do you have any work experience?

2) Where have you worked before coming to our organization?

3) You have worked somewhere before, haven’t you?

4) What is the company where you have worked before coming to us?