HOW TO USE PUBLIC TELEPHONES

There are three types of public telephones in Great Britain: – Payphones which take only coins (10p, 20p, 50p, and Ј1 only); – Phonecard payphones which accept only British Telephone (BT) phonecards; – Payphones which take both BT phonecards and credit cards. – Phonecards can be bought from post offices, newsagents and all shops which show the green phonecard sign. The price varies from Ј1 to Ј20.

WHAT TO SAY WHEN YOU USE PUBLIC PHONE

Buying a Phonecard

Customer	I’d like a phonecard, please.
Sales-assistant	Which card would you like, sir?
Customer	A ten-pound one, please.
Sales-assistant	Here you are. And here’s your change, sir.
Customer	Thanks a lot. Mm... One more thing, please. Where is a public phone near here?
Sales-assistant	Round the corner. Just go out and turn left.

Changing Money for a Payphone

Customer	Excuse me, could you change a five-pound note, please?
Cashier	Yes, how would you like it?
Customer	I need some change to make a call.
Cashier	Here you are, madam. Four one-pound coins and the change.
Customer	Thank you so much.

HOW TO MAKE A CALL FROM A BT PAYPHONE

- If you are running short of money during your telephone conversation, you can ask the person, you are talking to, to call you back to the public phone. You’ll find your booth telephone number on the notice inside. - If you are calling from your host family, and you would like to pay them for the call you made, you can ask the operator for an ADC call (advice of duration and charge). The operator will connect you, then ring you back at the end of your call and tell you the cost.

Useful numbers in the UK:

100 Operator; 155 International Operator; 192 UK Directory Enquiries; 999 Fire, police, ambulance, coast guard.

IT IS WORTH KNOWING

that

– Calls abroad are cheaper on Saturday and Sunday and between 8 p.m. and 8 a.m. on weekdays.
– Calls within the UK are cheaper all day Saturday and Sunday, and between 6 p.m. and 8 a.m. on weekdays.
– In Britain you should dial all the numbers one after another without waiting for another dial tone.
– If you cannot pay for your call, dial 155 for the UK International Operator and ask to place a ‘collect’ or ‘reverse charge’ call, which means that the call will be paid by the person you are phoning. As soon as the charge has been accepted by the person receiving the call you will be disconnected.

What to Say When You Call the Operator

– Have you the country code for Russia, please?
– Have you the code for Moscow, please?
– I’d like to make a reverse charge call to St. Petersburg, please.
– I’d like to make an ADC call to Vladivostok, please.
– Excuse me, what’s the time difference between London and New York?
– Sorry, I’ve been speaking to Moscow, and the line has been several times disconnected.
Do you think you could help me?

 

Making Suggestions

More Formal		Less Formal
I suggest we discuss it now. I would suggest we consider the problem of... I’d like to suggest (propose)... If I could just propose (suggest)... Could I make a suggestion? Could I make a point here? I wonder if I might suggest (propose)...		Wouldn’t it be a good idea to...? Don’t you think it might be a good idea to... I suppose we might (could)... It seems to me that we could... Why don’t we..? How about..?

Asking for Opinions

What’s your opinion, Mr Morgan? Mr Trade, what do you think about it? Do you agree, Mary? What are your views on this, Nora? Don’t you agree, Tony? Don’t you think so, Mrs Smith? Does anyone object?

 

Agreement

I agree with you (=I’m of the same opinion) I agree to your proposal (=I say ‘yes’) I totally (полностью) agree that... I couldn’t agree with you more... (No doubt) it’s a good idea and... That’s a good point. I think you are right.

 

Doubt

I doubt it. I doubt if it’s possible. I’m not at all sure that... I’m not quite certain that... I don’t think it’s realistic. Could be/might be...

Disagreement

Please, notice that you need to be very polite when disagreeing with someone in English - even with someone you know quite well.

That’s a good idea, but (and)... Yes, that’s quite true, but (and)... I’m afraid I can’t agree with you on that. Well, you have a point there, but... Perhaps, but don’t you think that... I see what you mean, but...

If you know someone very well you can disagree more directly using expressions like these:

I can’t agree with you here! I’m afraid I disagree with you. I’m not sure I quite agree... I don’t agree at all! You can’t be serious!

 

It’s quite difficult to express an opinion immediately. Most people - both native speakers and those who learn English - hesitate a lot during a conversation. The worst way to hesitate is with silence. Silence destroys communication. People might think you either don’t understand them, or aren’t interested in what they say, or just... are impolite. There are some ways in English to express hesitation, Here are some of them:

Hesitating

um... er... well... actually... in fact... you see... you know...

How shall I put it? the thing is... the fact is... let’s see now... it’s like this, you see...... sort of...... kind of...

 

Sometimes we have to interrupt people when they are speaking. It’s important to do it politely not to offend the speakers. If you break in at the wrong time, you may be considered aggressive. The end of the silence seems to be the right place to break in. Here are some useful techniques for interrupting.

 

Interrupting

Less formal	More formal
Sorry to interrupt, but... I’d just like to say you that... By the way... (to change the subject) That reminds me... um...	Excuse my interrupting you... If I could just come in here...
	Chapter Eight WHEN IN ROME, DO AS THE ROMANS DO The English are known as great home lovers, and they do their best to make their houses attractive and comfortable. I’m sure you will enjoy staying with the English family. Visitors are expected to respect the host’s house rules. In this chapter I’ll try to tell you about some basic things one should know when staying with an English family. Why don’t we start from the very beginning - your arrival at the host’s house?

Staying with the Host Family

Arriving

Mrs Forsyte: Kate: Mrs Forsyte: Kate: Mrs Forsyte: Kate: Mrs Forsyte:

– Hello, you must be a student from Russia. I’m your hostess, June Forsyte. – How do you do, Mrs Forsyte. It’s nice to meet you. My name’s Kate. – Nice to meet you too, Kate. Come in, please. – Thank you, Mrs Forsyte. – You can call me by first name - June. Did you have a good journey (flight)? – Thank you, June. It was fine. – Would you like to see your room, Kate? This way, please.

 

Attention!

1. Use your host family’s first names ONLY if they encourage you to. 2. It isn’t necessary to arrive with a gift if you rent a room and pay for your stay. On the other hand, a nice souvenir will impress your host family. But it should be something insignificant, just a little token

.In the Room

Here’s your room. Here’s your bed. You can use this wardrobe. You might need these bookshelves. Tell me if you need something extra. Tell me if you need an extra blanket or pillow.

 

Attention!

You shouldn’t hesitate to ask your hosts questions concerning your stay. The sooner you do it, the more oriented you are. If you haven’t yet personally discussed the rent with your host, but learnt it from you tourist agent, do it right at the beginning of your stay to avoid any misunderstanding in the future. The same concerns some particular house rules which your hosts might expect you to keep to.

Rent. House Rules

Could I ask you about the rent? What’s the rent, please? What does the rent include? Does the rent include meals? When do you expect me to pay the rent? Are there any particular house rules you’d like me to know? Are there any particular house rules you expect me to keep to?

Bathroom. Toilet

Where’s the bathroom, please? Which bathroom can I use? Where’s the toilet (=the loo), please? Which loo (=toilet) can I use? When is the best time for me to have a bath? When is the best time for me to have a shower? Could I have a shower now? Would it be all right if I had a hot bath now?

Mealtimes

When do you have breakfast? What time is dinner? When is breakfast on Sunday? Would it be all right if I had breakfast earlier on Saturday?

 

Attention!

As a rule, rent includes breakfast and dinner on weekdays, and breakfast on Saturday and Sunday. Some host families might also provide lunch at the weekend, but that’s quite a rare case which is usually specified.

Time to Come Home

What time do you expect me to come home? Is the front door locked at night? Will I have my own key to the front door, please? Sorry, could you show me how to unlock the door, please? I may be a bit late this evening, I’m going to the theatre. Please, don’t wait up for me. I’m afraid I won’t be in until Sunday evening. I’m going on a two-day tour.

Using the Phone

May I use the phone, please? May I use the phone for a local call, please? Shall I pay for my local calls or does the rent include them? Can my friends call me here? Till what time is it OK to call to your place? Excuse me, have you got a telephone directory? Could I borrow it, please? Could I make a reversed charge phone call? Could I make an ADC call to Moscow, please?

 

Attention!

Telephoning is expensive in Britain. Even local calls cost a lot. That’s why you should ask for a permission to make even local calls and offer to pay for them.ADC stands for 'advice on duration and charge' and means that when the call is finished the operator calls you back to tell you how long the call was and how much it cost.

What to Say When You Need Something

Could I have another blanket? Could I have another pillow, please? Could I have some extra heating in my room? I feel cold. Could I have some more coat hangers? Do you think I could use the iron? Do you think I could use your hair-drier? I wonder if I could borrow some black shoe polish? I wonder if I could borrow a pair of scissors (a needle, white thread, etc.).

 

Sorry, but could you show me

how to turn on/off the heating, please? where I can use my razor, please? where I can do the washing? where I can dry my clothes, please?

When You Have a Problem

I’m very sorry, but

I’m afraid I’ve lost my key. I’ve spilt my coffee. I’ve broken a glass in my room. there’s something wrong with the hot water tap.

Asking about transport

Excuse me, do I get to the centre from here? Where is the nearest underground station here? Where is the nearest bus stop here? How long will it take me to get there? Can I walk to the nearest tube station or shall I take a bus? What bus do I take to get to the nearest tube station? How often do the buses run at night? What’s the fare by bus from here to Trafalgar Square?

When You’d Like to Offer Help

Can I do anything to help you? Can I give you a hand with cleaning? Let me help you, please. Let me help you to lay the table, please. Would you like me to wash up? Could I help you with drying the dishes?

 

Attention!

Your offer to help about the house wil be appreciated by your hosts. But if they say ‘no’ to your offer, you shouldn’t insist. (When the English say ‘no’, they mean it).

When You Are Leaving the Room

Would you excuse me, I think I’d better go to bed earlier today. I have to get up early tomorrow. Will you excuse me, I’d like to write my diary.

 

Chapter Nine IF A MAN IS TIRED OF LONDON, HE IS TIRED OF LIFE I know you are going to have quite a lot of spare time next week and would like to see more of London. That’s why I want to tell you how to get around London or some other new places in case you decide to travel. I’ve picked up some phrases which might prove useful when you need to find your way, travel by tube or bus, etc.. Have a look!

 

Asking the way

Excuse me, is there a bank near here? Excuse me, where is the entrance to the Gallery? Excuse me, can you tell me the way to Victoria Station? Excuse me, can you tell me if there’s an underground station near here? Excuse me, how to get to the Houses of Parliament? Excuse me, do I get to Buckingham Palace? Excuse me, do you know if there’s a pub near here? Excuse me, do you happen to know where the nearest post-office is?

Going by Bus

Getting a Bus Excuse me, is there a bus stop near here? Excuse me, does the 11 stop here, please? Excuse me, does the 15 stop at St. Paul’s? Excuse me, which buses go to Piccadilly? Excuse me, how often does the B2 run at night? Excuse me, do you know if the 13A runs on Sunday? Excuse me, do you know if the 54 has gone? Excuse me, do you know when the next bus to Greenwich is due? Asking Where to Get Off Excuse me, are you getting off at the next stop? Excuse me, where do I get off for Tate Gallery? Excuse me, do you know if the bus stops near Madame Tussaud’s Museum? Excuse me, do you know where to get off to change for number 21? Could you let me know where to get off for Trafalgar Square?

Travelling by Underground

Buying a Ticket A single to Oxford Circus, please. Two returns to Leicester Square, please. Excuse me, how much is a single to Euston? Excuse me, how much is a return to Victoria? Could I have a map, please? Buying a Travelcard Excuse me, how much is a One-Day Travelcard? Excuse me, how much is a Sevenday Travelcard? Excuse me, do you have special child rates for 1 month Travelcard? Do I need a photo for a Sevenday Travelcard? Could you tell me if I need a photo for a Sevenday Travelcard? Excuse me, can I have a photo taken somewhere near here? Excuse me, will my Travelcard be valid tomorrow morning? Asking for Information Excuse me, am I right for the blue line? Excuse me, which line do I take to get to Hyde Park, please? Do I have to change to get to King’s Cross? Excuse me, do I have to change to get to Charing Cross, please? Can you tell me where to change to get to Baker’s Street?

If You Lost Something in Public Transport

I’ve lost my wallet! I’ve left my camera on the 41 an hour ago. I remember the time and the place. I’m not quite sure about the time. I’m not quite sure about the place. I don’t remember how it happened. I have no idea of the place. I know exactly that it happened here. I am absolutely confident about it.

 

Attention!

There’s a special ‘Lost and Found’ service in London Underground.If you lost something in the underground, you should: 1. Go to the nearest underground ticket counter and ask the clerk to give you a special form. Fill it in and send to the appointed address. 2. If you wish, you can also apply to Scotland Yard office in Baker Street. There you’ll be introduced by an officer who registers all the necessary information, and in a few days you’ll receive an answer.

Chapter Ten ALL’S WELL THAT ENDS WELL

Good morning, dear Club members!
Today’s session of the English Club is the last one before your departure, and there’s still so much to be told about Britain and the British. I’m afraid the time left won’t allow me to tell you everything I want to.
So what are the priorities? I guess I should be more ‘practical’ today and give you some advice on shopping, tipping, making ticket reservations, etc..
Shall we start with booking a taxi and renting a car?
Here are some phrases you might need.

What to Say When Booking a Taxi by Phone

Hello! Can I have a taxi right now, please? My address is... Hello! Could I book a car for 6.30 p.m? I’m going to Her Majesty Theatre. My telephone number is... Hello! Will you please make a reservation for 6 a.m. tomorrow? I’m going to Heathrow Airport, please. My name is Smith.

What to Say When Renting a Car

I’d like to rent a car for two days, please. Could I rent a car for a week? What are the rates? Do the rates include tax on car rental? What about the insurance? What does it cover? Yes, certainly. I’ve got an international driver’s permit. It’s issued in Russia. What’s your address, please? When are you open, please?

 

Travelling by Train

 

At the Enquiry Office

Excuse me, where can I buy a ticket to York, please? Excuse me, when is the next train to York? Is there anything a bit later, please? Is there anything a bit earlier, please? Which is the latest train from York to London, please? Is there a train to Cambridge at about 10 a.m., please? What time does it get to Cambridge, please? How much is a cheap day return to Cambridge, please? Excuse me, is there a restaurant car on the 10.30, please? Is the 7.15 direct or do I have to change to get to Edinburgh? Is the 22.15 a sleeper? When does the 2.45 get in, please? Which platform does the 11.15 go from, please?

 

Buying a Ticket at the Booking Office

A single to York, please. Two returns to Cambridge, please. An ordinary return to Manchester, please. Could I have a cheap day return to Brighton, please? Could I have two midweek returns on the 22.40 sleeper? Could I have a seat facing the engine, please?

 

Speaking to another person
Excuse me, is this seat taken? Do you mind if I move your bag a little, please? Do you mind if I open the window, please? Excuse me, could I ask you to keep an eye on my things? Excuse me, do you know if there’s a buffet car on the train? Do you know if we are on time? Do you know what time we come to Oxford? Excuse me, do you know if that’s Leeds we are coming to?
	Now it is high time we spoke about shopping. Do you know what to say when doing shops?

What to Say When Shopping

Looking for a Certain Shop or a Shop Department

Excuse me, is there a greengrocer’s near here? Excuse me, I’m looking for Selfridges, please. Could you tell me if there’s supermarket somewhere here? Could you tell me where the shoe department is? Excuse me, can you tell me if there’s a milliner’s department here? Excuse me, which floor lady’s underwear is (on)? Excuse me, where’s the lift to the upper floor?

 

Asking for Something

Excuse me, can you help me, please? Excuse me, have you got suits for everyday wear? I’d like to see shoes for autumn wear, please. Could I have a look at this sweater, please? Will you show the black hand-bag over there, please?

 

Buying Shoes

Can I try these sandals, please? Have you got them in beige? These boots are too tight. Have you got a size larger? The highboots are a little too large. Have you got something smaller? The heel is too high. These trainers feel comfortable.

 

Paying

How much is this, please? How much are the shoes, please? Excuse me, where do I pay? Excuse me, where’s the cashier? Do you take travellers’ cheques? Do you take American Express? Do you accept Visa Card?

 

 

PART THREE.

 

The people you have just met in the English Club have family names of different origins. Mrs O’Bryan, Mr Smith, Mr McGregory, etc. Do you know what parts of Britain they come from? Are they British? And who are the British? This is one of the questions I’m most often asked.

 

WHO ARE THE BRITISH? §

A few years ago a man walked into an embassy in Rome. He walked up to the information desk. ‘Excuse me’, he said to the woman behind the desk, ‘is this the English Embassy?’ ‘No’, she answered, ‘it’s the British Embassy.’ ‘Sorry,’ said the man and left.
‘But surely,’ you say, ‘English is the same as British?’ Well no, it isn’t. Take the woman behind the desk at the embassy, for example. Her name is Anne McDonald, and she’s a friend of mine. Anne is British but she is certainly not English, she comes from Scotland.
Now, who exactly are the British? Some of the difficulty probably comes from all the different words we use to describe the place we live in. As one of my favourite writers George Mikes said: ‘When people say England, they sometimes mean Great Britain, sometimes the United Kingdom, sometimes the British Isles - but never England.’

WHAT’S WHAT § §

The United Kingdom (the UK) is the legal name of the country.

It refers to England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. Great Britain is the name of the island which is made up of England, Scotland and Wales (but not Northern Ireland).

The British Isles is the geographic term that refers to all the islands - Great Britain, Ireland (North and South), the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man. Remember that Southern Ireland (Eire) is independent, and that the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man are not part of the United Kingdom - but they recognise the Queen.

Confusing, isn’t it? But really when we talk about the British we are talking about the people who live in the United Kingdom of England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

Now you know that not all British people are English. In fact 9% are Scottish, 5% are Welsh and 3% are Northern Irish (another 5% or so come from other places but that’s another story).

 

Now that you’ve got some information about the United Kingdom, we can discuss another problem. What do you think makes a nation? What brings together the old and the young, the rich and the poor, men and women, to make a culture Is a nation born from its land, its history, its art or its traditions? No doubt these things work together to make us what we are. But I believe, a nation is first of all made up of people, and the people are different. I’d like to introduce to you three people who are typical Britons. One of them is upper class, another is middle class, and the third is working class. Can you guess who’s who?

WHO’S WHO §

Emily

Emily lives in the suburbs of London. She spends a lot of her time driving her children to and from their private school and then to their piano lessons.
Emily likes to look fashionable but she cannot spend much money on clothes because the school costs so much. Her house is quite old, but it’s full of modern gadgets, especially the kitchen.
Emily speaks like the newsreaders on TV. She likes reading, driving, walking, swimming, knitting and travelling.

Harold

Harold spends most of his time in the country. He loves animals, especially his dog, and he likes going for long walks with his old hat on. Harold sends his children to а boarding school. It’s expensive, but he does not spend much money on holidays, because his uncle owns a castle in Scotland.
Harold prefers old things to new things and all his furniture is very old. It belonged to his father’s grandfather.
Harold likes simple food, and says ‘hise’ instead of ‘house’.

Jim

Jim does not own his flat. He rents it. He used to go to football matches, but now he watches them on TV. Jim’s two children go to the local comprehensive school. They will finish school when they are sixteen.
Jim has a car, and a colour TV. He likes to have fish and chips even when he’s on holiday in Spain. He likes to look smart when he goes out with his wife. In fact, he looks cleaner and smarter than Harold most of the time. He says ‘tay’ instead of ‘tea’.

Well, have you guessed who’s who? Right, Emily is middle class, Harold is upper class, and Jim is working class. Some people think that the class system in Britain is breaking down).
I don’t believe so. I must say a lot of Britons are snobs. They know a person’s class as soon as he or she says anything.
The pronunciation tells all. You are not upper class just because you have money. Some upper class people are quite poor, and some working class people (especially pop-stars) are quite rich. Your class is the result of your family, your school, your job, your house and... your pronunciation.
Some people might not agree with me saying that Britain and the British are changing very quickly. To illustrate this point of view I’d like to offer you the article ‘A Changing World’

A CHANGING WORLD § § §

In the old days, it was easy to talk about the British society. There was the working class, the middle class and the upper class. There were factory workers and farmers, northerners and southerners. But these days it is harder to describe the British. The old differences are still there, but people are divided in many new ways as well.

One difference is the change in age groups. More people are living longer than seventy or eighty years, so the number of old people is growing. At the same time, fewer babies are being born (the average British family has two children). This means that the population of Britain is getting older all the time. Also, fewer people live with or near their families. This means that many old people live on their own, or in old people’s homes. And many young people live in bed-sitting rooms, or in flats with other people of the same age.

Traditions of work are changing too. About three million people have no job. Poor people these days are not only people with badly paid jobs, but people without a job at all.

The four different regions of the United Kingdom (England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland) have always had their own ways of life. But now many people from these regions (especially the Welsh and the Scots) have a new interest in their own special culture. Some Welsh people, for example, want to bring back the Welsh language. Some of the Scots want a government of their own. The people of Northern Ireland often feel that the rest of Britain is not interested in them. They feel that no one understands the ‘troubles’ between the Catholic and Protestant communities.

There are now about four million ‘black’ and ‘brown’ Britons, who have come (or whose parents have come) to Britain since the 1950s. Most came from the West Indies, East Africa, India and Pakistan, and live in big cities like London, Manchester, Birmingham and Liverpool. Some found in Britain the life they were looking for. But many did not. Young people, especially, from these ‘ethnic communities’ find it hard to get jobs and to be accepted.

But somehow, the traditional British way of life still goes on. Old and young, rich and poor, black and white, Londoners and country people all agree about some things even if they disagree about others. The things they agree about make them British. The things they disagree about make them interesting.

 

In fact not only the world is changing quickly, but the language too. It’s common knowledge that the language reflects the changes of the world around, and its ability to do so depends on how flexible and creative the language is.
One of the modern language changes concerns its style: the language is becoming less formal and much more friendly. This tendency is reflected in the formulas of address.

 

If you want to know more about personal relationships, I could recommend to you an extract from the book by Peter Hobday ‘Customs & Etiquette in England’

 

 

FIRST NAMES AND FRIENDSHIP § § § §

(abridged) and adapted)

It used to be a cultural tradition to add Mister (Mr), Mrs or Miss to family names when addressing people whom you did not know very well. The British used to move to first - name terms much later than other European nations, let alone the Americans whose cultural traditions are much less formal. Now, following the growing world-wide practice most Britons move to first-name terms almost immediately without even establishing whether they like each other or want to meet again. Consequently, there are times when the foreigner in England expects too much from a relationship and is surprised when the English person seems to withhold his or her friendship.

At worst, this reserve is seen as cold; at best, it is put down to bad manners. Despite the many changes taking place in English life, the new fashions, the adoption of a more open and relaxed way of doing things, Americans particularly are often nonplussed when, after a great evening in someone’s company, their ‘new friends’ never call again.

A more usual scenario is when visitors to England telephone from the airport to say they have just arrived and can they come over as was suggested ‘when we all met up in the States last month’. They hear mumbled excuses about being ‘awfully busy’ or not ‘convenient’ at the moment. Some professions are more welcoming than others. Journalists, actors, and politicians tend to keep open house, accountants, lawyers and doctors tend to keep relationships on a more professional level.

Even the English are sometimes confused these days about relationships. The best advice is do not push, take your time and you will usually find that once you have made a friend you have made a friend for life. If there is still some formality left in professional relationships, there is one area which often surprises foreign visitors. That is the familiarity that tradespeople use, especially street traders in the street markets. They are still held in various towns and cities, the most famous of which is probably Petticoat Lane in London. Do not be surprised to be called one of the following names: ‘Love’, ‘Duck’, ‘Dear’, ‘Lovely’, ‘Chuck’ or even on occasions ‘Sweetheart’ or ‘Darling’. It is a tradition, and no one, regardless of age or gender, should take offence.

GOOD MANNERS § § §

‘Thank you’ is, perhaps, the most important phrase in English. It is the part of good manners everybody learns when a child. The same is true of other cultures, though the notion of ‘good manners’ differs from country to country. What is accepted as a cultural standard in one society might be regarded as an unacceptable behaviour in another. As the English say: 'Every country has its customs'.
Fundamentally the basis of good manners is consideration for others, but all civilised societies have added to their basic rule various forms of social observances which are expressed by word and behaviour. Different societies have their own expectations of behaviour and their own attitudes towards a whole range of things, such as family, work, leisure, etc..
It seems important that every person realises that there is not one fixed or correct way of doing things, but that there are many equally different and valid ways of living. Visitors to a country should develop understanding and respect for the target culture. They need to become good observers, sensitive to linguistic and non-linguistic behaviour of native-speakers in order to avoid cross-cultural misunderstandings. The best way to behave in a country you are visiting is to follow the English proverb: 'When in Rome, do as the Romans do'.

When speaking about good manners, I can’t but think of somebody who could show a pattern of socially accepted behaviour. In Britain it is certainly Her Majesty the Queen. I think it is high time I told you about Queen Elizabeth the Second and the Royal Family.

At the present time in England there is much comment on whether the UK still needs the Royal Family. In such conversations almost any comment is permitted. But it is not throught good manners to criticize the Queen. The Queen should always be praised. I would recommend you to wait until your host start to criticize, and then agree or disagree. As a foreigner it would not be acceptable to start such a conversation.
Anyway, it would be nice if you knew something about the Royal Family, and we could start with the Royal Family Tree.

 

 

Now, if you wish, you can read the description of a typical day in the life of Queen Elizabeth II. Of course, a day is just a moment in our life, but sometimes it’s enough to watch people for one day to get an idea of their lifestyle.

A DAY IN THE QUEEN’S LIFE § §

7.00	a.m.	Wakes up, has a cup of tea. Reads ‘The Sporting Life’ cover to cover.
7.30	a.m.	Has a bath and gets dressed. The Queen selects her clothes but a personal maid lays them out in her dressing room.
8.00	a.m.	Listens to BBC news and has breakfast with Prince Philip in the private Royal dining room. This usually consists of eggs or kippers, tea and toast. Both look through all the newspapers as they eat. The Queen first opens ‘The Times’,then the ‘Daily Telegraph’, followed by the ‘Daily Mirror’.
8.45	a.m.	Makes her daily phone call to the Queen Mother and Princess Margaret.
8.55	a.m.	Sees Buckingham Palace housekeeper about the Palace matters.
9.10	a.m.	Reads her personal mail. The letters for the Queen’s eyes only are marked with a special code.
9.30	a.m.	The first important business consultation with her Private Secretary, Sir Philip Moore. The Queen has to make many decisions involving the State and administrative matters.
10.15	a.m.	Works on her daily State ‘boxes’ with government documents.
11.00	a.m.	An official ceremony in the Grand Ballroom of Buckingham Palace. The Queen remains standing and smiling for 90 minutes.
12.45	p.m.	A quick lunch, often eaten alone in her private apartment - usually salad, fruit and mineral water.
1.30	p.m.	Changes clothes for next engagement.
2.00	p.m.	Leaves the Palace to open a new hospital in Hertfordshire. Her route is always cleared by the police.
3.00	p.m.	Unveils the plaque, makes a speech, shakes dozens of hands at the hospital. A cup of tea, eats nothing.
4.45	p.m.	Back to the Palace and work in her office. Simply putting her signature to official papers can take 30 minutes.
5.30	p.m.	Receives foreign VIPs.
6.00	p.m.	The final meeting of the day with her Private Secretary.
6.30	p.m.	A quick change of clothes before leaving for a reception at St. James’s Palace.
7.00	p.m.	Arrives at St. James’s Palace, shakes hands and talks to no fewer than 70 people.
8.15	p.m.	Back at the Palace and changes into less formal clothes.
8.30	p.m.	An informal dinner with Philip and a group of famous businessmen.
10.00	p.m.	Watches television news.
10.15	p.m.	Looks through the next day’s engagements and finishes any official papers she has not yet had time to read.
10.30	p.m.	Telephones some members of the Royal Family - just to see if all is well.
10.45	p.m.	Goes to bed. If Philip is out on an engagement alone, she always waits up for him before going to bed.
11.15	p.m.	Lights out.

(adapted from the textbook ‘Fast Forward’)

 

Will it be of interest to you to compare the Queen’s lifestyle with the life of ordinary people? Recently I read an article about the average Briton. There’s a lot of statistics in it which could give you an idea of ‘an average lifestyle’. I’d be glad if you looked through the article and compared the standards of living in Britain with those in your country.

 

WHAT IS THE AVERAGE BRITON LIKE? § §

The average Briton is a woman (51%).
The average Briton lives in a house, not a flat (80%). She (or he) has a bathroom (95%), a refrigerator or a freezer (99%), a car (69%) and a telephone (90%), a TV-set (98%), a central heating system (83%), a video-recorder (73%), a washing machine (92%), a computer (20%).
The average Briton is between 16 and 64 years old. The average British man will die at 73 years old, while the average woman will live until she’s 78.
The average Briton is married (60%) and more Britons (than ever before) are getting married. Men get married at the age of 28 while British women marry at 26. About 20% of marriages end in divorce, though about half will marry again.
The average age for divorce, if you’re thinking of marrying a Briton, is 36 for women and 38 for men.
As you know, not all British people are English. In fact 9% are Scottish, 5% are Welsh and 3% are Northern Irish (another 5% or so come from other places but that’s another story).
The average Briton works 35-40 hours a week, and has a 4-week holiday a year. 40% of holidays are spent staying with relatives or friends and a quarter are spent camping. British residents take about 23 million holidays abroad every year. The most popular foreign countries are Spain, France, the USA and Greece.
What does the average Briton do in his/her free time? Well, he/she watches television. Every Briton over the age of 5 watches television an average of 27 hours a week. Other popular pastimes are listening to the radio or to CDs, gardening, and of course the pub.

(from ‘Britain 1996’)

By the way, the average Briton has a wonderful sense of humour. We can laugh not only at other people, but at ourselves. I believe George Mikes’ story ‘A Warning to Beginners’ could be a good proof of it. I hope you will like it.

A WARNING TO BEGINNERS § § § §

In England everything is the other way round. On Sundays on the Continent (in Europe) even the poorest person puts on his best suit, tries to look respectable, and at the same time the life of the country becomes cheerful; in England even the richest motor-manufacturer dresses in some peculiar rags, does not shave, and the country becomes dull and dreary.
On the Continent there is one topic which should be avoided - the weather; in England, if you do not repeat the phrase ‘Lovely day, isn’t it?’ at least two hundred times a day, you are considered a bit dull. On the Continent Sunday papers appear on Monday, in England - they appear on Sunday! On the Continent people have good food; in England people have good table manners.
On the Continent public orators try to learn to speak fluently; in England they take a special course in Oxonian stuttering. On the Continent learned persons love to quote Aristotle, Horace, Montaigne and show off their knowledge; in England only uneducated people show off their knowledge, nobody quotes Latin and Greek authors in the course of conversation, unless he has never read them.
Continental people are sensitive and touchy; the English take everything with an exquisite sense of humour - they are only offended if you tell them that they have no sense of humour. On the Continent the population consists of a small percentage of criminals, of a small percentage of honest people and the rest are a transition between the two; in England you find a small percent of criminals and the rest are honest people. On the other hand people on the Continent either tell you the truth or lie; in England they hardly ever lie, but they would never dream of telling you the truth.
Many continentals think life is a game; the English think cricket is a game.

Do you believe in good luck and bad luck? Most people in the world have some superstitions. The British are no exception. Below you’ll find the description of some British superstitions with long traditions.

 

SUPERSTITIONS § § §

Good luck

- Black cats are lucky.
- Clover is a small plant. Usually it has three leaves, but a few have four. A clover with four leaves brings good luck.
- A horseshoe over the door of a new home brings good luck. But the horseshoe must be the right way up. The luck runs out of a horseshoe if it’s upside down.
- On the first day of the month it’s lucky to say ‘white rabbits’.
- It’s good luck to see two magpies.
- Catch falling leaves in autumn and you’ll have good luck. Every leaf means a lucky month in the next year.

Bad luck

- Never open an umbrella in the house. That’s very bad luck.
- Never break a mirror - that means seven years bad luck.
- It’s bad luck to see just one magpie.
- Don’t walk under a ladder.
- Don’t walk past somebody on the stairs.
- The number thirteen is very unlucky (and Friday the 13 ^th is a very unlucky date).

(from ‘Customs and Traditions in Britain’ by Stephen Rabley)

A Letter of Apology

It's but natural that sometimes we have to apologize when writing both busines and private letters.
Apologizing in business letters is most often caused by some kind of an inconvenience, or a delay (in delivering of goods, in sending the requested documentation, ect.), or different errors, mistakes in letter and other documentation, good missing, wrong goods sent, damage to the goods, ect.
Recently I have received a letter from my Norwegian publishers 'Northern Press Corporation' in which they apologize for the delay in replying to my letter.
I belive it could serve as a good example of a letter of apology. Have a look, please.

NORTHERN PRESS CORPORATION 14 Hardangar Street Oslo Norway
Mr. Charles Goodmanners 13 Green Road London N9 OPB Great Britain	Your ref.: GW/CL Our ref.: JA/DY 5 August 1998
Dear Mr. Goodmanners
Thank you very much for your letter of 19 July., 1998
I must apologize for the delay in replying to your letter. Unfortunately a number of our staff have recently been off sick. This has resulted in unavoidable delays in replying to letters. We can assure you that there will be no more delays in future.
The details you require are enclosed.
I look forward to receiving your comments on the materials sent.
Yours sincerely, O.Nansen
Assistant manager Enc: 5

 

As you can see from the above letter, there are several standard formulas to express an apology in a business letter

 

 

1. Apologizing
I/we must apologize for	the delay in replying to your letter; not replying to your letter; the inconvenience caused by the error.
It is more apologetic and therefore more polite to express your apology in such way:
We apologize (most) sincerely for We offer our sincere apologies for Please accept our (sincere) apologies for
This is usually used when the writer (or his/her company) is responsible for a serious error or mistake. We apologize most sincerely is a little more formal.
2. Expressing result
This (the staff being on holiday; the move to a new office; a misprint, ect.) has resulted in (the delay in replying to your letters; the shortage in the delivery of the goods, ect.).
3. Assuring
I/we can assure you that (there will be no more delays/errors in the future).