C Usage note.
Telephone can be used as a noun or a verb, as can the short form phon e which is four times more common in spoken English. If someone phones you, you have or receivea call (not a telephone) from them. If you want to phone a friend or call them (or ring them up, give them a ring / call), you dial their (phone) number. If you are phoning long distance, you will need to dial the code (BrE)/ area code (AmE) for the region or country where they live as well as their local number. All these numbers are found in the phone book or directory (BrE) or by phoning directory enquiries(BrE)/ information (AmE). If you have a problem getting through to the person you are phoning, you may ring the operator for help. When you phone someone, their phone will ring, and if they are at home they will answer by picking up the phone (or technically the receiver, or on cordless phones the handset). If they are busy they may ask you to phone / call / ring back later or to hold on, or more officially and in American English hold (wait). If they do not want to speak to you, or have finished speaking to you, they may hang up (=replace the receiver or switch off the handset). If someone is already on the phone when you call them, their number is engaged (BrE) / busy (AmE). If someone does not want to receive any calls, they may the leave their phone offhook (=the receiver is not in its proper place) so that no calls will get through. A telephone in a public place is a public phone or payphone, often placed in a phone / call box (BrE) or phone booth (AmE). Remember: we use ‘to phone a place or a person’, ‘to be on the phone to someone’.
D Check your vocabulary. Translate the following words and word combinations into the Russian language: 1. to have a call ……………………………………………………………… 2. to receive a call …………………………………………………………….. 3. to ring someone up …………………………………………………………… 4. to dial the number ………………………………………………………….. 5. to dial the code ………………………………………………………………… 6. a directory or a phone book …………………………………………………. 7. local number ………………………………………………………………. 8. to get through ………………………………………………………………. 9. to pick up the phone (receiver) …………………………………………… 10. to call back ………………………………………………………………. 11. to hold on ………………………………………………………………. 12. to hang up ………………………………………………………………. 13. to be on the phone …………………………………………………….. 14. the number is engaged ………………………………………………….. 15. the number is busy …................................................................................... 16. to receive calls …………………………………………………………….. 17. to leave the phone off hook ………………………………………………. 18. no calls get through ………………………………………………………. 19. a public phone ……………………………………………………………… 20. to phone a place or a person ………………………………………………..
E. Read the following word combinations. Do the translation of the words below. Then decide which of the verbs in a) fit best in the sentences in b). a) 1 be over - ……………………………………….. 2. call back - ………………………………………. 3. cut off - ……………………………………….. 4. get through - ………………………………………. 5. give up - ………………………………………. 6. hang up - ………………………………………. 7. hold on - ………………………………………. 8. look up - ……………………………………….. 9. pick up - ………………………………………. 10. put on - ………………………………………. 11. put through - ……………………………………… 12. hold on - ………………………………………
b) 1. The phone’s ringing.Why don’t you ………..the receiver? 2. Mrs Scott isn’t available at the moment. Can you ………………….. later? 3. Can you ………………….Ms Dumas’s number in the directory please? 4. I’m afraid she’s with a client, shall I ……………….you …………….to her secretary. 5. I’m sorry about that. I’m glad you’re still there. We must have been for a moment. 6. Mr Green never seems to be in the office. I’ve been trying to him all morning. 7. Could you …………………….for a moment, I’ll just find out for you. 8. Is Graham there? If so, could you ……………………..him please? 9. If the telephonist says “Thank you so much for calling “ and plays me that awful electronic music, I’ll …………………. 10.You’ll never get New York at this time of day, If I were you, I’d ………………. ………………………………….. 11.If an American telephonist asks “Are you through?”, she wants to know if your call ………………...
Task 1. Read the talking of Clare Macey, a director of Inter Marketing, suggesting ways to prepare for telephone calls. Then do the task given below.
If I am making a call, prediction is one thing. I have to try to guess what the other person might say – or ask. I think a lot of it is subconsciously really – it’s a subconscious preparation. But there are more conscious things too, like getting together any information I need, having the right file nearby, my diary, notepaper, a pen and also I might need some particular stuff on the computer screen. All that – what you call desk preparation – is important. Then in addition there’s specific things like checking recent correspondence, knowing exactly what’s going on – knowing what we ought to be doing- so understanding the situation or the relationship. Then finally, I would say that part of the preparation needs to be –if you’re making the call – you have to think about your objectives, what you want from the call, what you may need to ask or need to say. All that should be clear in your mind. So, in conclusion, I’d stress that it’s terrible if you’re not prepared – it sounds unprofessional and it wastes a lot of time too.
Check your understanding. What suggestions does Clare Macey make? Write them down below. 1.……………………………………………………………………………………2………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 3………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 4 …………………………………………………………………………………… ……………………………………………………………………………………. 5 …………………………………………………………………………………… …………………………………………………………………………………….. 6 …………………………………………………………………………………… ……………………………………………………………………………………...
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