Как вести беседу по телефону
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Harry: No. No, of course not. Anything I can do, within reason [117] .
Cynthia: Well, the thing is that — you know Shirley?
Harry: Shirley? I don’t think so.
Cynthia: You know, she’s the girl I work with. I think you met her.
Harry: Did I? When?
Cynthia: She’s the one with red hair.
Harry: Oh.
117
within reason: not beyond one’s possibilities
Cynthia: Anyway, I wondered — well — you see Shirley and I are giving a party. Of course we wondered if you and Barbara would like to come…
Harry: Well, that’s very nice of you, I’m sure.
Cynthia: We’d love to have you.
Harry: We’d love to come.
Cynthia: Well, the point is, you see, that we wanted to invite a lot of interesting people.
Harry: Oh yes -
Cynthia: Yes — and well, you know our flat; it really isn’t big enough. And we were wondering if there was just the smallest chance of having it at your place — just for the evening, you know.
Harry: Well — we’d love to let you, of course. But just now it would be a little difficult.
Cynthia: Oh, no. It wouldn’t be now. In about two week’s time.
Harry: Two weeks. Oh, I see. But — unfortunately — I think that would be even more difficult. You see, we’re haying part of the house redecorated, and in two weeks -
Cynthia: I suppose it wouldn’t be possible to use the rooms that aren’t being decorated?
Harry: Well, you know what it’s like, Cynthia, when you’ve got the decorators in; you don’t quite know where you are if you see what I mean -
Cynthia: Yes — yes, of course. It is a pity. I don’t know what we’ll do.
Harry: I’m sorry. We’d help if we could.
Cynthia: Well… Good-bye then, Harry.
Harry: Good-bye, Cynthia.
Joyce: Well, what have you been up to [118] since I saw you first?
Kate: I haven’t been up to anything, I’m afraid [119] . Just the usual grind [120] . Have you been doing anything?
Joyce: No. James is off to Italy again tomorrow for his firm. He rings me every night from Turin, which is a comfort.
118
to be up to something usually implies something not altogether permissible, or at least surreptitious. “What have you been up to this time?” implies something likely to involve punishment. So the phrase is used jocularly, from one friend to another, implying that he or she must have been doing something out of the ordinary or at least interesting.
119
I’m afraid implies no fear, only regret that she has nothing more interesting to tell.
120
Just the usual grind is a way of describing monotony; nothing severe or otherwise unpleasant is implied.
Kate: So you’ll be absolutely tied again with the children?
Joyce: Of course.
Kate: The firm would never pay for you to go to Italy as well, I suppose?
Joyce: As a matter of fact, that’s just come up [121] for the first time. There’s a big job of entertaining coming off [121] in about a fortnight — all the possible buyers and their wives are invited to Turin for a demonstration and a party afterwards, and they say they’d pay for me to go and play hostess [122] and look nice, but of course, with the children… And anyway, what have I got to look nice in?
121
come up: two idioms with “come” — “come up” meaning “to arise, to occur” and “come off meaning “to take place”
121
come up: two idioms with “come” — “come up” meaning “to arise, to occur” and “come off meaning “to take place”
122
play hostess: “play” is often used as here to mean “fulfil the function of.
Kate: I say, ducky, I’ve just got an idea. When is this do at Turin [123] ? It wouldn’t be at a week-end by any chance?
Joyce: It’s to be a Saturday — best time for a party.
Kate: Well, look here [124] , why don’t I come and look after [125] Michael and Jane for the week-end? They’re not such demons [126] as you seem to think, you know. We usually get on fine [127] .
123
this do at Turin : “do”, used as a noun, is one of the many colloquial words for a social occasion.
124
Well, look here is more emphatic than “I say”, to begin a new statement.
125
Why don’t I come and look after…: this is a more forceful phrase than “Why shouldn’t I?”. It contains the hint of a firm offer which ought not to be refused.
126
demons: lively children are conventionally referred to as “young demons” — a phrase conveying admiration for their vitality but at the same time sympathy for the trouble which they can cause.
127
get on means “get on well together”, “like each other and are good companions”.
Joyce: Oh — it’s terribly sweet of you, but I couldn’t.
Kate: Yes, you could. Now sort it out with James [128] this evening before he goes. I’ll come over [129] on the Friday night, and I’ll stay over the Monday too — I’ll get the day off from the office — so you needn’t get back till late on Monday and you can see a bit of Italy as well.
Joyce: No, I can’t really… Really you shouldn’t.
128
sort it out with James: discuss this question with James
129
I’ll come over simply means “I’ll come to you”.
Kate: Now shut up. No more nonsense. It’s settled. Just see the frig [130] is full of food. I’ll take them to the Zoo on Saturday. And what’s wrong with that trouser suit? You look splendid in it.
Joyce: Do you really think I could? I never thought of a trouser suit for the party…
130
frig: refrigerator
The telephone rings in a house in the London suburb of Twickenham.
An American Voice: Good morning. Is this Mrs Jones? [131]
Mrs Jones (rather puzzled): I’m Mrs Jones.
American: Oh, fine. I’m Drusilla Applebee, and I’m calling [132] about your house you advertised to rent [133] for the summer months.
131
Is this Mrs Jones?: Americans begin a telephone call by asking, “Is this…?” whereas the English ask, “Is that…?”
132
To call in British English more often means to come in person, though it can have the sense of “calling up” or “ringing up” on the telephone, which is always the American meaning.
133
to rent: houses in England are usually said to be “to let”. The distinction is that you let your house to someone, but you rent a house from someone.
Mrs Jones (still rather puzzled): Why yes, when are you going to call?
Mrs Applebee: I mean I’m calling you about it right now [134] . We’re a large family and your house sounded the sort of place we need for July, August and September.
Mrs Jones: Oh, yes, of course. How many are you in your family?
Mrs Applebee: Six, so we hope you have plenty of closets [135] .
134
right now: an English person would probably just say “now” or “at the moment”.
135
Closet is rarely used in England and would generally be taken to refer to “water-closet”.