Как вести беседу по телефону
Шрифт:
Mr Marsh: Mm. Well, all I can tell you at the moment is that the chimney was only built a couple of years ago, and is in good structural condition. What I can’t tell you, with any degree of certainty, is whether it’ll stand up to the kind of stress you’re proposing to put on it. As far as I can remember it’s a pretty strong job, so it should be all right.
Mr Weston: Yes. Well, it looks quite strong on our plans, but I can’t really tell, because they’re not sufficiently detailed.
Mr Marsh: No. Well, look, Mr Weston [40] , I think we’d better not take any risks over this. I’ll call in a building expert and get him to examine the chimney, and perhaps you’ll be good enough to send me brief details of the loadings [41] involved and the kind of brackets you’re thinking of using and so on. And I’ll put them in front of him and see what he thinks.
Mr Weston: Yes, I can get that in the post this evening.
40
look, Mr Weston: note this rather informal use of the imperative ‘look” as a signal that the speaker wishes to call attention to a proposition or statement he is about to make.
41
loadings нагрузка
Mr Marsh: You can? Fine [42] .
Mr Weston: Well, that answers my question, Mr Marsh. Thank you very much.
Mr Marsh: Not at all [43] . And thank you for letting me know about the report so quickly. I’ll get things moving [44] here, and we’ll expect your men to start work on Thursday morning.
Mr Weston: Yes, they’ll be there. Good-bye, Mr Marsh, I’ll be in touch again when the work’s started.
42
Fine: an informal exclamation of approval or agreement
43
Not at all: one of the very few ways in English of replying to someone who has just said ‘Thank you”. For some people it has faintly comic overtones, and these are stronger with the comparable formula “Don’t mention it”. Normally, no reply to “Thank you” is absolutely necessary, but many people feel happier if they say something like ‘That’s all right”, “Pleased to help”, “Glad to be of assistance”, etc.
44
get things moving: an informal way of saying “order work to start”
Mr Marsh: Bye, Mr Weston.
Mr Hopkinson: Hello. Mr Hopkinson speaking.
Mr Stock: Hello, Tom. Stock here.
Mr Hopkinson: You are just the man I wanted to speak to.
Mr Stock: Well, here I am. What’s it all about, then?
Mr Hopkinson: Well, you know that emergency delivery to Stockholm we were talking about the other day?
Mr Stock: Yes — you mean the “one they wanted delivered by the 25th? Mr Hopkinson: Yes, that’s the one. They’ve been on the telex about it to us only this morning, and now they say they must have it by the beginning of next week. I don’t know. What with that and this [45] big French order we’ve got coming up, I’ve been up to my ears in it [46] .
Mr Stock: I see. Then we’d better get it off pretty soon, hadn’t we?
45
what with that and this: because of that and this
46
up to my ears in it: overloaded with work
Mr Hopkinson: Yes, they’re counting on us.
Mr Stock: That’s right. I know old Gustavsson pretty well, actually, and I shouldn’t like to let him down either.
Mr Hopkinson: We’ll have to think of something, then, shan’t we? What’s old Gustavsson like, by the way?
Mr Stock: Bit difficult to describe, actually. Round fortyish [47] and a little bit heavy-going [48] perhaps. Got his head screwed on the right way [49] , though.
47
round fortyish: around forty years old
48
a little bit heavy-going: rather too serious or pompous
49
got his head screwed on the right way: clever, intelligent
Mr Hopkinson: That was my impression too, actually.
Mr Stock: Anyway, to get back to this delivery job, is there anything in particular that’s holding us up? Haven’t we got all the things we want on hand [50] ?
Mr Hopkinson: No, it isn’t that so much. We’re a bit short-handed [51] on the packing side [52] , you see. They’ve all been working like the clappers [53] on this French job, and haven’t got round to [54] this other lot yet.
50
on hand: available
51
a bit short-handed: short of staff/workers
52
on the packing side: in the packing department
53
like the clappers: very quickly
54
haven’t got round to: haven’t managed to do/begin
Mr Stock: Let’s see. It’s Friday tomorrow, isn’t it? That makes it a bit tricky [55] .
Mr Hopkinson: Look, I’ve been thinking. What about offering the boys in despatch a spot of [56] overtime over the week-end? We can bung [57] the whole lot into one lorry and get it straight off to Hull. Should be on the quayside by Monday morning.
Mr Stock: Yes, of course that’s the answer. Should’ve thought of that before. Well, that’s that one solved then. Better be getting back, I suppose. Will you tell Fred, or shall I?
55
a bit tricky: rather difficult
56
a spot of: a little
57
bung: put, throw
Mr Hopkinson: Well, I’m seeing him this afternoon in any case so I’ll see to it, if you like, Peter.
Mr Stock: Would you? That’s splendid. Look, I must push off now. I’m seeing that chap from Benson’s at two-thirty.
Mr Hopkinson: Yes, don’t you worry. I’ll see that’s all laid on… [58] . Bye.
Mr Stock: Bye.
58
all laid on: all arranged
I. Define the meaning of these words and phrases. Make up sentences using them.
surveyor, quick work, subsidence, to hold things up, on account of smth., in writing, to go ahead with arrangements, the outstanding work, to have a free hand, to put it in hand, to be at one’s disposal, to carry on, with any degree of certainty, to stand up to the stress, to get smth. in the post, to get things moving, emergency delivery, to be on the telex, what with that and this, to be up to one’s ears in work, to get smth. off, to count on smb., to let smb. down, round fortyish, heavy-going, to get one’s head screwed on the right way, to hold smb. up, to get things on hand, to be a bit short-handed on smth., to work like the clappers, to make it tricky, to bung the whole lot into one lorry, to push off, all laid on
II. Rephrase these sentences.
1. You’ve taken a load off my mind. 2. That brings us to Thursday morning. 3. I’ll put it in hand straight away. 4. I’m not keeping you from anything? 5. I’ll call in a building expert and get him to examine the chimney. 6. I can get that in the post this evening. 7. I’ll get things moving here. 8. You mean the one they wanted delivered by the 25th. 9. They’ve been on the telex about it to us this morning. 10. What with that and this big French order we’ve got coming up, I’ve been up to my ears in it. 11. Then we’d better get it off pretty soon. 12. Haven’t we got all the things we want on hand? 13. We’re a bit short-handed on the packing-side. 14. What about offering the boys in despatch a spot of overtime over the week-end?