unit5.ppt

Unit 5            Telephoning

Part A                           

Communicative Function   Taking Telephone Messages

Telephone calls usually come unexpectedly. When we answer a phone call for someone else, we often have to take down the message.

Now listen to four short telephone conversations and write down the messages in the blanks.

Message: Call back David Johnson this afternoon.

       Message: Call Bill Green at 415-389-1074 this evening.  It's important.

Message: Meet Judy outside the Art Museum at ten tomorrow morning.

       Message: Don't forget to go to Tom's party this evening.

Script

1.    --Hello. 103-6215.

       --Hello. Is Cindy there?

       --No, she is out. Do you want me to take a message?

       --Yes, please. Tell her to call back David this afternoon, David Johnson.

2.  –Hilton Hotel. Can I help you?

--Mr. John Thomas, Room 1230, please.

--I’ll put you through. Sorry. Mr. Thomas isn’t in at the moment. Can I take a message?

--Tell him to call Bill Green at 415-389-1074 this evening. It’s important.

3.    --Hello, can I speak to Mary?

       --No, I'm afraid she's out. Could I know who is calling?

       --Well, this is Judy, her old classmate. Can I leave a message?

       --Certainly.

       --Please ask her to meet Judy outside the Art Museum at ten tomorrow morning.

4.    -- Hello.

       -- Hi, Mrs King. This is Tom here. Is John in?

       -- Hello, Tom. I'm sorry John's out right now. Would you like to leave a message?

       -- Yes. Tell him not to forget to come to my party this evening.

       -- All right. I'll let him know as soon as he gets in.

Useful Expressions for Telephoning 

l  Is (Mary) in?

l  Hello, is (Mary) there?  

l  Hello, can I speak to (Mary)?      

l  Is that you, (Mary)?                          

l  Would you like to leave a message with me?

l  Would you like to leave a message?     

l  Sorry, (Mary) is not in. Can I take a message?                                

l  I’m afraid (Mary) is not available right now.

l  This is (David).

l  I'll put you through to (Mary).

l  Hold the line, please / Hold on.

l  You've got the wrong number.

l  Could you call back later?

l  It’s good to hear your voice again.  

l  Thank you for calling.

Notes

1.         Instead of saying “hello”, you can state your phone number when you lift the receiver to take a call. In business calls, it is customary to say the name of the company first.

2.         ‘I’ll put you through’ means “I’ll connect you”.

3.         For the number “0”, it is safer to say “zero” though it can also be spoken as the letter “o”.

Listening Strategy  Identifying Telephone Numbers

       To be able to recognize telephone numbers is a useful skill to learn. Failure to catch the correct numbers will cause lots of trouble.

Listen to three telephone conversations and write down the answers to the questions you hear.

   1.         6247-2255 .

   2.           5404-9982.

3.          612-930-9608.

Script

1.    W:   Front Desk. May I help you?

       M:   Could I have the number for the box office of Eastern Airlines, please?

       W:   Just a moment.

       M:   That's all right.

       W:   The number is 6247-2255.

       M:   Thank you very much.

       W:   You're welcome.

       Q:    What's the phone number that is requested?

2.    W:   6417-2817.

       M:   Hello. Can I speak to Susan?

W:   I'm sorry Susan is not in at the moment. Would you like to leave a message?

       M:   Well. Please ask her to call Mike at 5404-9982.

       W:   OK. I'll give her the message.

       M:   Thanks a lot.

       W:   Don't mention it.

       Q:    To what number will Susan call back?

3.  W:    Number please.

       M:   Oh, I’d like to make a collect call.

       W:   Where to?

       M:   San Francisco.

       W:   What number?

       M:   415-566-1268.

       W:   What’s your name?

       M:   Wang Xing.

       W:   And where are you calling from?

       M:   612-930-9608.

       W:   Hold the line, please.

       Q:    From what number is the man calling?

Part  B                           

Pre-listening Task

Questions for Discussion   

You are going to talk about making telephone calls. Read the following questions and discuss them with your partner.

1.         Do you make and receive a lot of phone calls? Who do you call most often? 

2.         Do you sometimes make calls in English? Do you find it easy or difficult to understand English on the phone? 

3.         Suppose you work as a receptionist/ secretary in a company. What should you say when you pick up the receiver to answer a phone call?

4.         If someone who is wanted on the phone is not available, what can you do?

5.         What would you say if you want the caller to leave a message?

6.         Do you often use a cell phone to talk to your friends? Why or why not?

Demo:

1. Do you make and receive a lot of phone calls? Who do you call most often?

       Yes, I often use telephone to communicate with my friends and my family. Sometimes I use the fixed phone at home, sometimes I use my own mobile phone. On campus, I use my mobile phone to call my parents and exchange short messages with my friends. Frankly speaking, I have to admit that I can not part with my mobile phone, for it is an important link to keep in touch with my friends and family. Now it's very common to see college students using their own mobile phones on campus. They say mobile phones provide them with more conveniences and chances to know the outside world.

4. If someone who is wanted on the phone is not available, what can you do?

When someone who is wanted on the phone is not available, I would ask the caller to leave a message for him or her. Or I would ask the caller to call again some time later. Or I would recommend the caller to try his or her mobile phone number.

Language Focus   

Here are some useful sentences and structures that you might find handy in discussing the above questions:

l  The telephone is a very useful tool/a must for all.

l  The telephone shortens the distance between people/brings people closer.

l  I make a lot of phone calls to my friends/relatives to arrange outings, parties, etc.

l  When I miss my parents/relatives/friends, I call them (so that I can hear their voices).

l  I often/sometimes/occasionally/seldom make/receive calls in English.

l  I find it quite difficult to understand English on the phone. 

l  Often I can't catch / fail to hear exactly / get confused with the name / phone number of the caller.

l  I hate people to call me after 10 p.m. unless it is an emergency.

l  A receptionist/secretary usually says the name of her company and asks the caller, “What can I do for you?” when she picks up the receiver to take a call.

l  “Can I take a message / Would you like to leave a message?” is said when someone who is wanted on the phone is not available.

l  I use my cell phone a lot to talk to my friends.  It is so convenient.

l  I carry my cell phone wherever I go so that I will never miss a call.  

Listening   Tasks

A Conversation                  A Business Call

Word Bank

 available         a.       reachable, free 可取得联系的,有暇的

 cellular          a.       无线通讯的 (简称cell)

reach            v.       to contact   联系

leave a message            留言

cell phone number           手机号码

ABC Imports             ABC进口公司

Star Electronics           星球电子公司

Alexander               亚历山大(男子名)

Script

A  Business  Call

A: Good afternoon. ABC Imports. May I help you?

B: Yes, may I speak to Mr. James Johnson, please?

A: I'm afraid Mr. Johnson isn't available right now. Would you like to leave a message?

B: This is Richard Alexander with Star Electronics. It's very important that he returns my call this afternoon.

A: Does he have your office number and your mobile phone number?

B: I think so, but let me give them to you again.

A: Okay.

B:  My office number is 714-555-2000; my cell phone number is 909-555-2308. He can reach me at my office number before 6 p.m. or anytime today on my mobile.

A: Very well, I'll give him your message as soon as he returns to the office.

Language and Culture Notes

1. Background information  Telephone English is a form of spoken English. As the two parties on the phone cannot rely on the help of gestures and facial expressions, politeness in wording is very important.

2. May I speak to ...?  It is relatively formal to say "May/could I speak to ..., please?" Other ways can be "Could I please speak to ...?" and "Could you put me through to ...?" A more casual way is "Is ... there/in?"

3. Mr. Johnson isn't available right now.  Mr. Johnson cannot answer your phone right now.  He may be in the company but is busy with something else, for example, in conference.

4. This is Richard Alexander...  a proper way to introduce oneself on the phone is to use "This is ...", but not "I am…" However, it is all right to say "My name is…"

Exercise 1:  Listening for general understanding 

Listen to the recording once and choose the right answers to the questions you hear.

1.    What can be learned from the telephone conversation you've just heard?

       a. Mr. Alexander is wanted on the phone but he is out.

       b. Mr. Johnson is wanted on the phone but he is out.

       c. Mr. Alexander works for ABC Imports.

       d. Mr. Johnson works for Star Electronics.

2.    Who might be the person that has answered the phone call?

       a. A receptionist.

       b. A friend of Mr. Johnson's.

       c. Mr. Johnson's boss.

       d. Richard.

Exercise 2:  Listening for details             

Listen to the recording once again and fill in the blanks with the missing information.

Speaking   Tasks

Pair Work

Listen to the conversations and repeat after the recording. Practise the conversations with your partner, playing the role of A or B. Then work with your partner to create your own conversations by replacing the underlined parts with your own words.

Conversation 1

A:    Good morning, Frank Qian's office.

B:    Good morning.1) Can I talk to Frank, please?

A:    2) Who's calling, please?

B:    Brian Tong from BS Toy Company.

A:  Well, Mr. Tong, 3) I'm afraid Mr. Qian's not in the office at the moment. Can I take a message or would you like to ring him on his mobile phone?

B:    I'll 4) try his mobile. Could you 5) give me the number, please?

A:    909-365-2781.

B:    6) Just let me check that, 909-365-2781.

A:    7) That's it.

B:    Thank you.

Conversation 2

A:  1) Hobson Motors. 2)  Can I help you？

B:    Good morning. 3) I'd like to speak to Mr. Paul Osman.

A:  4) I'm afraid Mr. Osman is at a meeting right now.5) Can I take a message?

B:  Yes, my name is Brian Gray of 6) “The Bike Shop”. I have something 7) urgent  to talk to him about.

A:    OK. But how can Mr. Osman reach you, Mr. Gray?

B  Oh, my phone number is 212-623-8823.

A:  212-623-8823. Thank you, Mr. Gray. 8) I’ll give your message to Mr. Osman as soon as possible.

B:    Thank you. Bye.

A:    Good-bye.